102 Defective Method of Instruction in Writing.-Walks in Edinburgh. If there were any truth in this remark, he character of every hand would depend solely on the taste of the writer: the validity of this opinion would therefore strengthen the assertion of Lavater, that "the character of every individual may be traced in his handwriting;" for if every one wrote agreeably to his own taste, it would be no difficult matter to distinguish the writing of the formal pedant from that of the dashing man of fashion; or to discover the difference of style in the characters formed by the simple man of taste and elegance, and those of the affected coxcomb. It would indeed, in some respects, contribute to the general welfare of society, if this chimera were a reality, for in that case it would be in vain for the pen of the hypocrite to express different sentiments to those which are concealed in the private recesses of his own bosom; deceptious language would avail him nothing, since the mere formation and connection of his letters would expose his duplicity and stamp his real character. [November 8, 1817. some capital error, in the usual mode of Scotland, while he was engaged in a tour- The most general complaint is, that The tradition relative to the martial exercises of the youthful Darnley thus acquires some degree of probability: although it appears that a convent of Carmelite friars was erected on the same ground in 1520, before the time of Mary, yet part of it may have been reserved or occasionally employed for the rude amusements of the age. The progress of the Reformation was fatal to the religious establishment; for the same ground was occupied, in 1591, by a Lazar-house, or hospital for persons afflicted with leprosy. This institution was endowed by John Robertson, merchant in Edinburgh, from gratitude for some signal interposition of Divine providence, and with the permisattention paid to the improvement of this sion of the town-council of Edinburgh, important one; for, with the exception of the buildings were erected on the site one celebrated professor, now in Edin- of the monastery. The statutes and reburgh, whose method of teaching a finish-gulations which were drawn up for the ed style of writing is as astonishing, from government of the inmates of the hospithe speed with which it is acquired, as tal, present a singular picture of the manfrom the permanency of an attainment ners of the times. Some of them may made in so short a time-there is no ma- amuse the reader, but he must be struck terial difference in the mode of teaching with the excessive severity of the penalthis art from what was practised half a ties annexed to trivial transgressions. century ago. There doubtless are but few who are not convinced of the erroneousness of A system of writing, that would unite Lord Chesterfield's opinion, since daily ex- the fluency of the epistolary with the perience proves, that many persons, whose perspicuity of the school-hand, has long good sense must enable them to appre- been a desideratum; and it is rather to ciate the advantages of a free and legible be wondered at, that in an age when manuscript, are, nevertheless, obliged to every other art has made such rapid adlabour under the disadvantage of writ-vances, there should have been so little ing in a manner that is almost unintelligible; while others, whose elegant style of language evince their superiority, might, from the awkwardly stiff formation, and imperfect connection of their letters, be stamped persons of vulgar taste and mean abilities. An authoress, whose works have long delighted the public, is so deficient in this accomplishment, that her manuscripts are always carefully transcribed by one whom experience has brought familiar with her characters, before they can be submitted to the perusal of a printer;ly and as the sentiments which pervade the numerous volumes of this writer prove, however high their title to elegance, that usefulness is her chief aim, there can be no doubt she would prefer writing intelligibly, did she possess the power: that she has the use of her eyes and hands is certain, as well as taste and understand ing in an eminent degree; but in the form and union of her letters she is without method; and it is to this deficiency alone we are to ascribe the frequent failare in the graphic art of persons of the highest taste and abilities. It appears from these observations, that It was at that period as at the present; there were many instructors, whose highornamental style of execution evinced their own skill in the art, while the general deficiency of their pupils proved, that though, from long-continued application, it was possible to attain a degree of excellence themselves, it required still more skill and application to convey that excellence to others. Walks in Edinburgh and its vicinity, with ANCIENT LAZAR-HOUSE AT GREENSIDE. A traditional story is still preserved, that Darnley first captivated the affections of the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Att the Hospital upone the Greenside, betwixt Edinburgh and Leith, the 23d day of Nov. 1591. The quhilk day, the personis after specifeyit, viz. Mr Walter Balcanquell minister, Thomas Fyschear bailie, Archiebald Jhonestone bailie, Johun Robertson merchant, burgesse of Edinburgh, being appointit be the Counsall and Sessioun of the said burgh; convenit togidder on the 21st of the said moneth, to place the lepperis under-wrytten in the said Hospitall, and to appoint sic owklie almes, and injoyne sic uther ordars to thame as the said Commissioners suld think expedient. 1. The said Commissioners placit in the hospital Robert Mardow, James Garvie, Johun M'Rere, James Wricht, Johun November 8, 1817.] 103 laneous, including insane, confined for debt, prisoners abroad, donatives refusing to make return, impropriations, appropriations, &c. 122798. Total Benefices, 10,501. British and Foreign Bible Society, July 18, 1817. Auxiliary and branch societies in the united kingdom, Walks in Edinburgh-British and Foreign Bible Society. Widderspune, lepperis, togidder with Iso- | expedient that there be an gibbit sett up in | bell Barcar, spous to the said Robert Mar- the gavell of the said Hospitall; and that dow, and Jonet Gatt, spous to the said the forme and order thairof be inserted James Garvie; and appoyntit to everie baithe in the buiks of Counsall and Sesane of the said personis owklie four shil- sion of this burgh ad perpetuam rei melings (Scottish money, and equal to four moriam. And that thair be an Act maid pence sterling,) besyde the money quhilk in the said buiks, ordaining na lepperis they sall obtene with their clapper, in to be placit in the said Hospitall beirafing chiefly of subscribers, one penny or twomanner following: ter bot sic as is or sall be borne within pence per week, connected with auxiliary sothis burgh, or have remaynit thairin seven zeires, conforme to the act of Parliament. 2. That nane of the saids personis lepperis cry or ask for almes, utherways than be thair said clapper; and that everie ane of thame, his day about, sitt at the dure of the said Hospitall to that effect, the rest alwayes remaining within the samyn, and that they distribute equallie amongst thame, quhatsoever money thay purches be their said begging, and gif the just declaration thairof to the visitour appoynted everie Setterday, under sic payne as the Counsell shall injoyne unto thame. 3. That nane of the said personis lepperis, or thair wyffes, depart or resort fra the said Hospitall, to na oyder pairt or place, bot sit still thairat, and remayne thairin necht and day, haly-day and wark-day; and that thay resave na oyder maner of personis, oyder man or woman, within the said place, but sic as sall be placit with thame thairin, at command of the said Counsall and Session; and that thay keip the dure of the said Hospitall fast and clois, fra the down-passing of the sone to the rysing thairof, under the payne of hanging. 4. That the said personis and ilk of thame leif quietlie, and gif na sclander, be banning, sweyring, flyting, skalding, filthie speaking, or vitious leving, or any oyder way, under the paynes to be enjoynit be the Counsall. 5. That the said Isobell Barcar and Jonet Gatt wash the linning clayths of the remanent, at the boig of the Craftfute, on the back syde of the Leper-house, and mak their beddis, and alwayes had the said Hospitall honist and cleanlie, under the payne aforesaid. payn 6. That the said Jonet Gatt onlie cum to the markatts for buying sic viveris as is necessary to the saids personis, and presume to gang to na oyder pairt nor place in her cuming and returning to and frae the saids markatts under the aforesaid :-Quilk injunctions being red to the personis aforesaids, thay agreit thairto, and promisit to obey and underly the samyn, under the paynes therabove wrytten. And thairfore, for the better obedience thairof, and for terrefying the said lepperis to transgress the samyn, the said Commissioners hes thocht meit and 7. That the Maisters of the Hospitall of the Trinitie College, present, and for the tyme to cum, be appoyntit owklie Visitours and Overseyaris of the said Hospitall of the Lepperis, and mak report thereof owklie to the session of the kirk. 8. That thair be appoyntit ane ordinair Reider to reid the prayeris everie Sabboth to the said lepperis, and ane commodious place appoyntit to the said Reider for that effect. 541 Besides numerous Bible associations, consist cieties; which associations have, in some in stances, produced thrice the amount of the subscriptions to the auxiliary within whose district they are comprised. The Bible societies established in foreign parts have been encouraged by pecuniary aid from the British and Foreign Bible society, or by its example. The number of copies of the scriptures rious languages and dialects, aided by donations purchased, printed, or printing by them, in vafrom the society, is subjoined: . Bibles..Testmts. At Zurich, in German, At Ratisbon, At Hambro-Altona, Polish, 4,000 4,000 3,000 3,000 4,000 $3,000 2,000 15,000 7,000 50,000 At Koenigsberg, in Lithuanian, 3,000 Forty-five societies have been Of a similar establishment, I find the some districts associations are The societies in Russia have Calmuc, St Matthew, 5000 5,000 5,000 5,000 1,000 30,000 15,000 3,000 10,000 15,000 5,000 2,000 5,000 RELIGIOUS AND CHARITABLE Lithonian, Benefices in England.-Resident incumbents- Persian, [November 8, 1817. moves the carts that carry the newly cut timber to the plain, the ropes broke, and many of the pilgrims were killed, and a great number severely injured. Religious and Foreign Bible Societies.-Antiquities. The society has printed, or aided the print- 660,695 10,750 Spanish, 30,000 Portuguese, Italian, 20,000 15,000 10,000 Total issued on account of. the society, 795,936 1,020,446 In Asia, societies have been established in Calcutta, Malacca, Prince of Wales' Island, Ceylon, Bambay, Java, Amboyna, and Astracan. In Africa, societies have been established in the islands of Mauritius and Bourbon, St Helena, Cape of Good Hope, and Sierra Leone. In America, 149 have been already established. In Jamaica and Antigua, two.,, Progress of the British and Foreign Bible Society. The directors of the Edinburgh Bible Society having learnt that the Jewish society in London had completed the translation of the New Testament into Hebrew, have remitted £.200 to assist in defraying the expences of the work. The society has also expended about £.9000 to confidential agents, for distributing the scriptures in various parts of the continent. Expenditure-1st year, £.691 10 2 u 1,637 17 5 5,053 18 3 12,206 10" 3 14,565" 19" 7 18,543 17 u Commemoration of the Reformation.-The se cular festival of the Reformation, which is about to be celebrated on the continent, excites considerable interest. In Prussia, a circular letter has been addressed by the minister of the interior to the Evangelical clergy of both confessions in the Prussian dominions, intimating the King's desire that the words Protestant Lutheran, or any other denominations which designate parti. cular sects of the reformed religion, should cease to be used, and that they should be superseded by the word Evangelical. The object of this communication is to correct those feelings of asperity in which sectarians too generally indulge, and by removing all nominal distinctions, to cultivate a spirit of general harmony and mutual indulgence. The authority of Luther himself is adduced to sanction this interference of the government, for the father of the reformation is represented as being displeased to find the supporters of his opinions distinguished by his name. The denominations of Evangelic Church and Evangelic Christians belong equally to both confessions, and imply the source whence they equally derive the purity of their doctrine. ANTIQUITIES. £.541,504 1 10 Besides engagements for nearly £.40,000 Hospitals, &c. in Paris.-Paris contains ten hospitals for the sick, nine charitable houses, and twenty-two houses destined for beneficent Roman sepulchre.-On digging in a piece of purposes. The Hotel Dieu, the most ancient ground, lately converted into a garden, of a hospital in Paris, and perhaps in Europe, has house near the road from Colchester to Lex. existed since the seventh century. It was long den, the remains of a leaden coffin, six feet in the only hospital which received the sick of both length, were discovered about 18 inches from sexes, and every age,-foundlings, pregnant the surface. The upper part appears either to women, and even maniacs. Till very lately, have mouldered away, or been broken by the these were crowded together in ill-arranged halls, spade into small fragments; the bottom and two, four, and even six in the same bed. Since sides also are in a very imperfect state; the latthe commencement of the present century, these ter were perforated with exceedingly large iron inconveniences have been remedied; new halls nails, evincing that it had been inclosed in a have been constructed, better divided, and bet- thick incasement of wood. The interior was ter aired; and the consequence has been a con- filled with earth, among which three small siderable diminution of the mortality. General- glass phials or lachrymateries were found: one Contributions continue to be made to the Bi- ly speaking, there die in the hospitals 1 in 7, perfect, the other two broken by the spade. ble societies seemingly with unabated zeal, not- and in the hospices 1 in 64. The patients reAbout a foot from the head of the coffin, a withstanding the general distress. The Edin main, on an average, a month and ten days in small earthen vessel, without a cover, resemburgh society has received the following remit- the hospital,, The Lying in Hospital received bling those in use among the Romans, was dug tances since the publication of their eighth report in 1814, women to the number of 2700, of up in an entire state. There is no clue for conin August last, viz.-Water of Leith, £.13- whom 2400 acknowledged themselves not to bejecturing whose body the coffin may have con. Clackmannan, town and parish, £.18-Clifton, married. The Foundling Hospital, from 1804 £.2-Braehead, Carnwath, £.6—Biggar, £.40— to 1814, received 23,458 boys, and 22,463 girls; Edinburgh south district, £.19-Berwickshire, in all, 45,921; of this number 4130 were sup. £110-Forres, £.20-Portobello, £.10-West posed to be legitimate. The average annual Linton, £.9-Colinton, £.6-Edinburgh east expence of the hospitals is about 2,300,000 district, £.10-Lasswade, £.9—Edinburgh mid- francs, (£110,000.) The number of patients dle district, £.30-Spey and Avonside, £.33—received is about 35,500. The hospices receive Dairsie female society, £.6-Kiltearn, £.5-St only about 5900, but they receive them to reAndrew, £.12. main for life. In regard to aids given at home, the number of poor persons thus relieved amounted, in 1804, to nearly 87,000; in 1813, to 103,000; and this last may be considered as nearly the medium term of the ten years. Account of the Society for propagating the Gospel in foreign parts.-This society was incorporated by William III, and is directed by its charter to make an annual report to the Lord Chancellor and the chief justices of the King's bench and common pleas. The receipts of this last year, from contributions and dividends on stock, have been about £.5000, with a grant from parliament in aid of the expences of the society in the North-American colonies, of nearly £8000, making in the whole £.13,000. Of this sum about £.12,000 has been expended in salaries and gratuities to missionaries, catechists, schoolmasters, and in exhibitions to scholars in Fatal Pilgrimage. The devout practice of pilgrimage is not yet abandoned, it would seem, in Europe. Accounts from Vienna state, that the annual devotion to Maria Zell, in Styria, whose pious pilgrims, to the number of 4600, returned lately with the suffragan bishop of the diocese at their head, has, upon this occasion, been attended with a cruel accident. As they were crowding upon each other to see the new machine, which, by the force of water alone, tained; but, from the circumstance of lachrymateries being found therein, in which it was the custom in ancient times to collect the tears of surviving friends and relations, and consign them to the tomb with the ashes or body of the defunct, it is probable that it had remained many ages. Body of the Earl of Derwentwater. On the 11th October, a gentleman caused the vault at Dilston-hall to be opened, and narrowly examined the remains of James, the unfortunate Earl of Derwentwater. Although the body has been interred above a hundred years, the whole appeared in a state of preservation. Researches in Egypt and Nubia.-M. de Richter, a Livonian, and M. Liedman, a Swede, during the course of the year 1815, visited the whole of these countries; and are now preparing to publish the result of their researches, which will contribute to complete those of Bruce, of Lord Valentia, and of Mr Salt. They returned by way of Syria, whence M. Leidman took the direction of Constantinople. Notices Biographical, Historical, Moral, &c. 105 and they therefore found it necessary to be cautious in their deportment towards him. A lady to whom he had been under great obligation, gave him mortal offence, in one of her visits to his garden, which he was always proud of ex fund. The dwarf, however, received occasional | frequently displayed much caprice and jealousy, BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL, MORAL, &c. · David Ritchie, the original of the Black Dwarf. -This singular person, who has been described in the Quarterly Review, in the Edinburgh Monthly Magazine, and lately in the Edinburgh Magazine, from which the particulars of the present account are extracted, was born at Easter Happrew, in the parish of Stobo, Peebles-shire, about the year 1740. His father was employed for many years in the slate quarries at that place. Ďavid, though he used to say his deformity was owing to ill-guiding, is understood to have been misshapen from his birth. Indi. cation of a peculiar temper appeared at a very early age, which drew from his father the observation that he was born either to slay or be slain." Though he was only a few months at school, he learned to read English very well. He was sent to Edinburgh, when young, to learn the trade of a brush-maker; but his extraordinary figure attracted so much notice, that he soon retired in disgust to his native hills. Having attracted the notice of Sir James Nasmyth, he was permitted to build a cottage for himself at the bottom of a steep bank, on the farm of Wood-hard, as to be made to pass easily through the house, without the payment of any ground rent. pannel of a door, or the end of a tar barrel! His Though the proprietor directed his servants to long chin projected so much as to form a line assist him in the work, it was chiefly by his own with the crown of his head. His person was labour that the building was completed. With still more remarkable than his visage. The deincredible perseverance he cleared the ground scription of the Black Dwarf does not seem to for his hut and garden, by cutting into the side have gone beyond the truth." His body, thick of the hill. The walls were built of alternate and square, like that of a man of middle size, layers of large stones and turf, without mortar. was mounted upon two large feet; but nature Having constructed some rude pieces of house. seemed to have forgotten the legs and thighs, hold furniture, he proceeded to the cultivation as they were so short as to be hidden by the of his garden, in which he displayed very condress which he wore. His arms were long and siderable taste, as well as industry. He stocked brawney, furnished with two muscular hands, it with a few fruit-trees, flowers, herbs, and and, when uncovered, in the eagerness of labour, culinary vegetables, with some lettuce. Being were shagged with coarse black hair. It seem. unable to make any use of his feet in digging, ed as if nature had originally intended the sehe had a spade so contrived, that he could force parate parts of his body to be the members of a it down with his breast. Having planted a giant, but had afterwards capriciously assigned bower of willows and rowan-trees, his little her- them to the person of a dwarf-so ill did the mitage, with the fame of his own peculiarities, length of his arms, and the iron strength of his drew many visitors. The cultivation and ex- frame, correspond with the shortness of his stahibition of this spot of ground formed his chief ture." Davie's laugh is said to have been quite occupation. He reared a great proportion of horrible; and his screech-owl voice, shrill, unflowers for his more elegant visitors, and cha-couth, and dissonant, corresponded well with momile, rhubarb, and other medicinal herbs, for his other peculiarities. He usually wore an old his homely neighbours. He also supplied the slouched hat, when he went abroad; and when tables of some gentlemen in the neighbourhood at home, a sort of cowl, or night-cap. He never with honey. His cottage falling into disrepair, wore shoes, being unable to adapt them to his Sir James, in 1802, ordered two separate dwell-misshapen fin-like feet, but always had both feet ings under one roof, to be erected for him and and legs concealed, and wrapt up in pieces of his sister, at a short distance from his first abode. cloth. He always walked with a sort of poll or The work was completed under Davie's direc- pike staff, considerably taller than himself. His tion, but the garden wall was almost entirely habits were in many respects singular, and indibuilt with his own hands. His sister was de- cated a mind sufficiently congenial to its unsirous of having a door common to both, but couth tabernacle. A jealous, misanthropical and her amiable brother would have a separate en- irritable temper was his most prominent chatrance into his hut, which was raised to the racteristic. The sense of his deformity haunted height of three feet and a half high; and he him like a phantom; and the insults and scorn would admit no inmates except his dog and cat, to which this exposed him, had poisoned his which shared largely in his sympathies and af. heart with fierce and bitter feelings, which, fections. A small chink served for a window, from other traits in his character, do not appear with a shutter, having objected to glass. Mr to have been more largely infused into his oriBallantyne, the present farmer of Woodhouse, ginal temperament than that of his fellow-men. having enlarged the garden, Davie took a whole He detested children on account of their proyear to put it in order to his liking. He turned pensity to insult and persecute him. To stranup the soil two feet and a half deep, and cleared gers he was generally reserved, crabbed, and it of the stones. After repeated quarrels he be surly; and though he did not refuse assistance came estranged from his sister, who, from im- or charity, he seldom expressed or seemed to becility, was never capable of regular employ-feel much gratitude. Even towards those who ment. They were long the only persons in the parish who received support from the poor's had been his greatest benefactors, and who possessed the greatest share of his good will, he fancied he saw her spit at him. "Am I a toad, woman! that ye spit at me—that ye spit at me!” ' he exclaimed with fury; and without listening to any answer, he drove her out of his garden with imprecations and insult. When irritated by persons for whom he entertained less respect, his misanthropy displayed itself in words and sometimes actions of still greater rudeness. He would then utter the most shocking imprecations. His jealousy was even roused against the most insignificant of the animal creation. Observing a lady, to whom he was shewing, with all the complacency of which he was capa ble, his rich flower borders, turn her eyes with a smile towards a plot of cabbages which had been somewhat injured by the caterpillar, he instantly assumed his savage scowling aspect, rush.. ed among the cabbages, and dashed them to pieces with his staff, exclaiming, "I hate the worms, for they mock me." Although a knowledge of the revengeful disposition of Davie impressed both young and old with a certain degree of fearful respect and awe of him, a farmer in the neighbourhood ventured one night, out of a frolic, to assume the character of a robber, for the purpose of frightening him. The dwarf, after reconnoîtring him from his small window, wrenched a large stone out of the wall, dashed it down upon the assailant, and knocked him to the ground, where he lay for some time senseless. But his resolute and dogged perseverance will be better illustrated by his conduct, in conse. quence of the refusal of a gentleman in the neighbourhood to allow him to cut down a particular branch of a tree, which he required for some purpose. On the morning which followed this unsuccessful application, the servants of the gentleman happened to be going from home so early as two o'clock, when, to their surprise and terror, they perceived through the grey twilight a strange figure struggling and dancing in the air below a tree. Upon summoning courage to examine into the cause of this phenomenon, they found Davie suspended by a rope to the envied branch, swinging and tugging with all his mortal might : having met with no interruption, he succeeded in his purpose, and conveyed the arm of the tree to his dwelling. He had a sort of strange pleasure in wandering out in the dark, and is said to have sometimes spent whole nights among the ruins of old buildings, and other places where . spectres were believed to haunt ; and he used to, vaunt greatly of his courage and intrepidity in such adventures. But with all these bravadoes he is known to have been extremely superstitious; and to protect himself from witchcraft, he had planted a considerable number of the rowan or mountain-ash around his dwelling. Upwards of forty of these were cut down in his garden after his death. He spent much of his time in solitude; and when his garden did not require his care, would lie whole summer days by the side of a well, poring into the water. He also read a good deal when he could get books, and was very fond of Shenstone's pastoral ballads, which he could repeat by heart. The sort of reading in which he took the greatest delight was, the adventures of Wallace and Bruce, and other popular tracts about Scottish heroes. He possessed a copy of Milton's Paradise Lost, some 106 Notices Biographical, Historical, Moral, &c. his other performances; and as he indulges his parts of which he read with much interest. David Hume. The fame of Rousseau, and the prodigious effect produced by his writings, render us desirous to learn, from a great contemporary, what were his habits in private life, and what opinion was entertained of his works by the most competent judges of his own time. We are enabled to gratify curiosity in both these particulars. Hume's opinion of the renowned Treatise on Education is stated in a letter dated Edinburgh, 22d January 1763; and an ac. count of Rousseau's behaviour on retiring from France to England, at a period three years later, is contained in another letter from Hume to the Comtesse de Boufflers, dated the day after the travellers arrived in London, the 19th January 1766. Rousseau on Education." You deign, Madam, to ask my opinion of the new performance of M. Rousseau. I know that it becomes me better to form my judgment upon yours; but in compliance with your commands, I shall not make a secret of my sentiments. All the writ. ings of that author appear to me admirable, partacularly on the head of eloquence; and if I be not much mistaken, he gives to the French tongue an energy, which it scarce seems to have reached in any other hands. But his enemies have objected, that with this domineering force of genius, there is always intermingled some degree of extravagance: it is impossible for his friends altogether to deny the charge; and were it not for his frequent and earnest protestations to the contrary, one would be apt to suspect, that he chooses his topics less from persuasion, than from the pleasure of shewing his invention, and surprising the reader by his paradoxes. The treatise of education, as it possesses much of the merit, seems also exposed to the faults of pride and spleen and indignation of the author [November 8, 1817 of ed with this proposal, and is inclined to accept He Letter of Dr Franklin to Mr Whitfield." For my own part, when I am employed in serving others, I do not look upon myself as conferring favours, but as paying debts. In my travels, and since my settlement, I have received much kindness from men, to whom I shall never have any opportunity of making the least direct return; and numberless mercies from God, who is infinitely above being benefited by our services. Those kindnesses from men, I can therefore only return on their fellow-men, and I can only show my gratitude for these mercies from God, by a readiness to help his other children, Rousseau's private conduct.—“ My pupil and I, and my brethren. For I do not think that dear madam, arrived safely in this place, both of thanks and compliments, though repeated weekus in good health, and also in good humour, ly, can discharge our real obligations to each after the first melancholy of my separation from other, and much less those to our Creator. You you was a little dissipated. My companion is will see in this my notion of good works, that I very amiable, always polite, gay often, common. am far from expecting to merit heaven by them. ly sociable. He does not know himself when he By heaven we understand a state of happiness, thinks he is made for entire solitude. I exhort- infinite in degree, and eternal in duration : I ed him, on the road, to write his memoirs. He can do nothing to deserve such rewards. told me, that he had already done it, with an in- that for giving a draught of water to a thirsty tention of publishing them. At present, says person, should expect to be paid with a good he, it may be affirmed, that nobody knows per- plantation, would be modest in his demands, fectly any more than himself; but sha I describe compared with those who think they deserve myself in such plain colours, that henceforth heaven for the little good they do on earth. every one may boast that he knows himself and Even the mixed imperfect pleasures we enjoy in Jean Jaques Rousseau. I believe that he in- this world, are rather from God's goodness than tends seriously to draw his own portrait in its our merit: how much more such happiness of true colours, but I believe at the same time that heaven! For my part, I have not the vanity nobody knows himself less. For instance, even to think I deserve it, the folly to expect it, nor with regard to his health, a point in which few the ambition to desire it; but content myself people can be mistaken, he is very fanciful. He in submitting to the will and disposal of that imagines himself very infirm. He is one of the God who made me, who has hitherto preserved most robust men I have ever known. He passed and blessed me, and in whose fatherly goodness ten hours in the night-time above deck, during I may well confide that he will never make me the most severe weather, when all the seamen miserable; and that even the afflictions I may were almost frozen to death; and he caught no at any time suffer shall tend to my benefit. harm. He says that his infirmity always in- The faith you mention has certainly its use in creases upon a journey, yet was it almost imper- the world; I do not desire to see it diminished, ceptible on the road from Paris to London. His nor would I endeavour to lessen it in any man. wearing the American dress is a pure whim, But I wish it were more productive of good which, however, he is resolved never to abandon. works, than I have generally seen it: I mean He has an excellent warm heart, and in conver- real good works; works of kindness, charity, sation kindles often to a degree of heat which mercy, and public spirit; not holiday-keeping, looks like inspiration, I love him much, and sermon-reading or hearing; performing church hope that I have some share in his affections. ceremonies, or making long prayers, filled with I find, that we shall have many ways of settling flatteries and compliments, despised even by him to his satisfaction, and as he is learning wise men, and much less capable of pleasing English very fast, he will afterwards be able to the Deity. The worship of God is a duty; the choose for himself. There is a gentleman of the hearing and reading of sermons may be useful; name of Townsend, a man of four or five thou- but if men rest in hearing and praying, as too sand a-year, who lives very privately, within 15 many do, it is as if a tree should value itself on miles of London, and is a great admirer of our being watered and putting forth leaves, though philosopher, as is also his wife, He has desired it never produced any fruit. Your great Mashim to live with him, and offers to take any ter thought much less of these outward appearboard he pleases, M. Rousseau was much pleasances and professions, than many of his modern |